KEPT

"What is it that you want in a relationship? And please, be as descriptive as you can be" He asks with a smooth barritone that rings bells of pleasure in my ears and other places I dare not to mention

I ponder on the thought for a moment then I look at him "I want to be respected, I want stability and commitment, I want to be able to build a life with someone, to have them cherish, protect and love me. I want honesty and I want to get married and have a family." I stop and chuckle, feeling all kinds of silly, with the way he's looking at me. I can't tell if he's thinking that I'm too wishful given the era that we live in where people are quick to deceive each other and dive from one partner to the next. Commitment really does seem like a thing of the past.

"I want a family, I want to settle down, get married, provide for and protect my wife as I should. I also expect respect, honesty, loyalty and transparency" he says and it almost sounds like we are negotiating terms of a deal

"And love"I add

"Love..." he says slowly like it's his first time hearing of the word, it almost sounds foreign coming from him

"Yes, I want to be loved"

"What is love, exactly?"